The claims come after at least 120 people were killed in a devastating earthquake in Umbria, Italy, this morning – and conspiracy theorists are predicting more misery.

A team of scientists from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Rome noticed that the land around the thought-to-be extinct volcano has been rising by 2mm a year since 1993.

The researchers claim Colli Albani, near Rome, has an eruption cycle of 31,000 years – and is currently overdue by five years.

Molten lava spews from erupting volcano in Indonesia

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia has blown spewing mass amounts of lava over the past two days. A danger zone has been extended in the area of North Samatra as many residents pack their things and look to move.

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The volcano began spewing lava endangering those near

“Today is considered the day in AD79 that Mount Vesuvius erupted burying Pompeii and Herculaneum”

Dr Sophie Hay

It could bring a global catastrophe similar to the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, they added.

A major eruption would cause deadly rocks and lava to be flung through the skies and could send enough ash into the atmosphere to block sunlight for months.

In a bizarre twist of fate, August 24 is widely regarded as the day in AD79 that Mount Vesuvius unleashed a hellish pool of lava and soot burying two cities and its entire inhabitants.

It is also the same day that first WW2 bombs fell on Pompeii in 1943.

Several conspiracy theorists believe that Italy could be hit with a SECOND natural disaster today, which could wreak havoc on the rest of Europe.

In the wake of today's earthquake, many believe it could trigger a biblical wipeout.

Earthquakes often occure before an eruption – although scientists are still debating the connection.